1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a method for controlling the same, and a storage medium for the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus (for example, rotation developing rotary-type image forming apparatus) that rotationally moves a plurality of toner cartridges serving as recording material storage units to perform printing has been proposed. When an error such as “no toner” or the like occurs in a toner cartridge, such image forming apparatus moves the toner cartridge in which the error has occurred to the replacement position such that a user can replace the toner cartridge.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-258905 discloses an image forming apparatus that detects the fact that the consumption of a developing agent stored in a developing cartridge has been completed, and places the developing cartridge, in which the consumption of the developing agent stored therein has been completed, at the replacement position upon ending formation of an image. Also, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-323027 discloses an image processing apparatus that detects the respective amounts of toner contained in the toner cartridges and moves a toner cartridge, of which the detected amount of toner is the smallest, to the replacement position.
An image forming apparatus that rotationally moves a plurality of toner cartridges to perform printing has a standby position (arrangement position) for a toner cartridge so as to start printing in the quickest manner. When a toner cartridge is at the standby position, the image forming apparatus can start printing in the quickest manner. On the other hand, when the image forming apparatus attempts to start printing when a toner cartridge is not at the standby position, the image forming apparatus once moves the toner cartridge to the standby position and then executes printing. Consequently, a delay in the start of printing the first page may occur. In other words, a so-called first printing is delayed.
Assume the case in which a toner cartridge with no toner is a toner cartridge (color cartridge) other than the black toner cartridge that contains a color toner. In this case, the image forming apparatus is incapable of executing color printing, but capable of executing monochrome printing that employs only a toner cartridge containing black toner (black toner cartridge). However, if the image forming apparatus is controlled so as to automatically move the toner for which the error has been detected to the replacement position for improvement in usability, the image forming apparatus moves the color cartridge to the replacement position when “no toner” occurs in a color cartridge. In this state, when the image forming apparatus receives a print job for monochrome printing, the toner cartridge is not at the standby position for starting printing in the quickest manner, and thus, the start of printing is delayed.
For example, when “no toner” occurs in a color cartridge during color printing, the image forming apparatus once cancels a print job being printed and attempts to execute new monochrome printing. In such a case, the start of monochrome printing is delayed. Also, when a replacement toner cartridge is not at hand, the image forming apparatus attempts to employ monochrome printing only until a replacement toner cartridge is reached. In such a case, the start of monochrome printing is also delayed each time.
In order to prevent the start of monochrome printing described above from being delayed, it is contemplated that the image forming apparatus performs the following operation when it can perform printing using the remaining toner in a particular toner cartridge (for example, black toner cartridge). Specifically, once the image forming apparatus performs printing using a particular toner cartridge, the image forming apparatus does not move a toner cartridge other than the particular toner cartridge to the replacement position, but always moves the particular toner cartridge to the standby position even if “no toner” occurs in any toner cartridge other than the particular toner cartridge. By this construction, even if “no toner” occurs in any toner cartridge other than the particular toner cartridge, the image forming apparatus is always capable of starting printing in the quickest manner.
However, when emphasizing printing performance in this manner, the usability may be affected. More specifically, when attempting to replace a toner cartridge for which “no toner” has occurred with a new toner cartridge, the toner cartridge to be replaced is not at the replacement position, and thus cannot be replaced promptly. In order to replace a toner cartridge, a user operation made from a user interface unit such as a panel on an image forming apparatus, an application on a PC connected to an image forming apparatus, or the like is required to move the toner cartridge to the replacement position, resulting in a considerable time and labor. If the image forming apparatus is not controlled so as to automatically move the toner cartridge for which the error has been detected to the replacement position, such an extra time and labor may occur, resulting in a decrease in usability.